Posted on 02/21/2010 1:23:14 PM PST by Marcus
Part of the Obama space policy that even some of the critics like is the commercialization of space flight. The idea is that NASA would buy seats on commercial space taxis that would take astronauts to and from the International Space Station.
The idea is that commercial competition among nascent space companies will lower the cost of space travel, saving NASA money. Not coincidentally using American space taxi services would wean NASA away from dependence on the Russians for space travel, which will start totally as soon as the space shuttle is retired later this year or early the next.
The second effect that many people hope will happen is that using NASA as a core market would enable the creation of a commercial space launch industry, servicing commercial customers, everything from private space stations to tourist jaunts. Many visionaries even see the commercialization of space travel as the start of a new era of private space exploration.
There is just one problem. Most of those who tout this wonderful result have not asked themselves a simple question: What is it about the Obama administration and its policies would make one think that it would want that?
(Excerpt) Read more at associatedcontent.com ...
The thing that Obama is doing that is most likely to lead to the commercialization of space is he’s making living on Earth unbearable.
Obama couldn’t commercialize Microsoft.
Let NASA focus on research, the moon, and deeper space.
Eventually, the moon can be commercial travel.
Obama isn’t commercializing space, he’s pulling private companies into the same trap he has the automakers in. These private companies will play space taxi and freight hauler to government facilities under government contract. Unfortunately that’s all they can ever be as things stand now.
If Obama wanted to open space up for private exploitation he would have to pull us out of the outer space treaty.
-19bama is not capable of “commercializing” space. If space was ALREADY commercialized, -19b’ would be well equipped to Unionize space and/or public-sectorize space, though.
You can see all the bureaucrats with their eyes full of dollar signs gazing (and walking) zombie-like toward their next major revenue stream with drool running out of their mouths moaning something that sounds like the words, “Tax them! Tax them!”.
Philanthropist Al Capone helped commercialize alcohol sales in Chicago during a period highlighted by strong government control of access.
Obama - just another Chicago philanthropist furthering the needs of humanity.
I always thought “The Man Who Bought The Moon” was not without a decent legal premise.
Right. He just laid off 7000 people at the Kennedy Space Center. Of 13,000. That’s very forward-looking of him.
you say “Obama - just another Chicago philanthropist furthering the needs of humanity.”
Wake up folks.
What’s he really diong with the NASA money and our space program?
Why have 7,000 people who work at the Kennedy Space Center been told they will be laid off in Sept?
Our money is going to be taken from the Space Program and ‘redistributed” to Muslims around the world, starting with Indonesia. (Haven’t you wondered why, just after his Hawaii vacation, he’s headed off for a ‘vacation’ in Indonesia? Doesn’t anyone connect the dots anymore?)
Doesn’t anyone dare say TREASON!
NASA plans more outreach to Muslim countries
(per a directive from obama)
In addition:
From Hillary Clinton
Remarks at the U.S.-Islamic World Forum
Doha, Qatar
February 14, 2010
“President Obama and I believe that education and innovation are the currency of this century. That’s why he announced a new era of engagement with Muslim communities to expand educational opportunities, support entrepreneurs, and promote advances in science and technology.
Our goal is to identify excellent ideas and successful projects in Muslim communities and then invest in them, help to scale them up, and to connect innovators and entrepreneurs, so that they can support and enhance each other’s work.
We are creating a Global Technology and Innovation Fund, which we will launch this spring, that will provide hundreds of millions of dollars in capital to small and medium-sized businesses throughout the Middle East, Asia, and Africa . . .
We have to continue to expand and strengthen outreach to students. And that is why we have increased funding for educational exchange programs for Muslim students. NASA, our space program, has partnered with the Arab Youth Venture Foundation in Dubai to give Arab and American engineering students the chance to work together on NASA missions.”
He’s killing our Space Program and funneling the money to his friends in Muslim countries - can no one shout TREASON?
The idea that Obama is a free market capitalist is ludicrous on its face.
What he’s really doing with NASA is turning it into another global warming center where green pseudoscience can be pursued at great expense.
Actually, now that I think of it, it’s a leaf out of Al Gore’s book. Use the satellites to give us nice pictures of Mother Gaia. Use them to keep an eye on the polar bears and the penguins.
Commercial space ventures blossomed very nicely all by themselves alongside NASA’s programs. Commercial efforts are at an all time high with no help Obama. Of course, he will want to take credit.
The short answer is No. Commercialization of space flight will not get off the ground without a substantial infusion of federal funds. There is too much extremely costly Research & Development required before we are even close. All of the aerospace technologies, testing facilities, laboratories reside in DoD and NASA. It is a pipe dream for those who understand not science or basic economics.
If the government would or could move away from entitlements, it could do its proper job in funding R&D initiatives. Government funding of R&D has been on a steep decline since 1970, IMO.
We would be much further along in space than we are now if it weren’t for the outer space treaty holding us back.
As things stand now there’s just no hope of profit for private industry. (beyond transportation) No claims can be made on any natural bodies in space so anything of value basically belongs to the entire world. Space has the same basic status as Antarctica and holds no value for anything other than science.
It was sarcasm.
Commercial space enterprise may take off over the next few decades; only Zero has zero to to do with it. The whole premise is silly, the COTS vehicle (Commercial, Off The Shelf) which could ferry passengers to Low Earth Orbit and back doesn’t exist. If it did, NASA could very well use it to fill the space station; that’s what people have been saying for years, but until such a thing does exist it’s all just idle speculation.
Only if by "commercialize" you mean "communize".
meant the “wake up” generically ;o)
Several companies seem to disagree with you, "Advanced Composites" being one of them.
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